Belgian Club spreading ‘optimism’ in Delhi

Vicki Hartlen DELHI NEWS-RECORD
Wednesday August 22, 2007
There’s been a lot of honking in front of the Delhi Belgian Club these days.
A sign perched in front of the newly renovated building instructs drivers to "Honk if you like our new look."
"Boy, have they been honking," said Delhi Belgian Club president Marc Vanden Bussche, who helped make the project happen.
Although members of the club knew that the walls of the building, particularly the front wall, needed to be addressed for structural integrity, it was on the suggestion of Vanden Bussche and other executive members that a "facelift" project was born.
"The Belgian Club is a commercial building that was aging," said Vanden Bussche, whose own grandfather, Gerrard Vanden Bussche was president of the club when the building was first unveiled. "Now it’s come full circle."

With the help of PK Construction of Tillsonburg; Stucco Pro; Ed DeBusschere of DeBusschere Homes Ltd.; and welder Randy Casier, the project was started in May and completed in August.
"We changed things up a little bit from the artist’s concept, but for the most part we stuck with the original plan," said Vanden Bussche.
A creamy yellow, red and black are now the brilliant colours that greet visitors and those just passing by, as well as detailed stonework that adds a wainscoting effect to building front.
A new logo tops the project, which Vanden Bussche said is also getting rave reviews.
"I’m getting positive feedback about the whole thing," said Vanden Bussche. "I’m even getting positive feedback about the new logo, which I thought might bother some people. But instead they’re thrilled with it, which is great."
Although Vanden Bussche said executive members are pleased with the renovations, there are more projects planned for the widely used hall.
"Now that the front’s done we’re going to go inside and spruce things up there with some new paint," he said, adding that work will likely begin in September or October.
As with any renovation project money is an issue, which is why Vanden Bussche said fundraising efforts are going to increase for ongoing projects, such as repaving the parking lot.
"This is our way of spreading a little optimism in Delhi," Vanden Bussche added. "The Belgian Club is a social club that’s a part of Delhi, but now a revitalized part of Delhi."